Machine for placing rings in envelopes



3, E R MAN Y IACHINE FOR PLACING RINGS I N ENVELOPES Filed March 28. 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 3, 1931. E. R. HELLMAN MACHINE FOR PLACING RINGS IN ENYELOPES Filed March 28. 1950 '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 3, 193 1 UNITED STATES PATENT oFnce ERNEST R. IIELLIIAN, or DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR To SUPERIOR PISTON RING COMPANY, or DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A coRroRA IoN OF MICHIGAN MACHINE FOR PLACIN RINGS IN ENVELOPES Application filed March 28, 1930. Serial No. 439,715.

In the marketing of piston packing rings it has become the practice to put each ring in a separate small envelope so that the ring will be protected against injury in handling and will be prevented from engaging other rings or hard surfaces which might injure the sharp angles of the finished ring. The present invention relates to a machine for automatically placing thesefinished rings in individual envelopes, and it is the object to provide means whereby a plurality of rings are held, fed forwardly, and discharged one at a time, the envelopes being also automatically" fed forward and expanded in positionto receive a ring, thus facilitating the placing of rings in their envelopes and obviating the necessity for handling each individual ring.

It is also an object to provide suitable means whereby each envelope is automatically opened to receive a ring, and the envelope with the ring therein released and v placed in superposed relation within a suitable hopper de-' vice, all of the operations being automatically performed by the machine with the exception.

of loading the machine with rings and envelopes, and removing the envelopes with the rings therein, by removing the hopper from the machine.

With the above and other ends in View, the invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in Which Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section through a machine illustrative of an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a front end elevation with parts removed and others partly in section;

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail substantially upon the line 4-4 of Fig. l; v i

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail upon the line 5-5 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective detail of an envelope holdin rod.

As s own, the machine comprises a supporting frame work consisting of a base 1, tubular corner posts 2 secured to and rising from the base, and a top frame 3 secured upon the upper ends of the posts 2.

The top frame 3 is formed with a bracket 4 at the rear end of the machine and at the forward end of the'machine the side members of the frame 3 are connected by a plate 5 which plate is formed with an opening 6 adjacent which the forward ends of side plates 7 are secured, said plates 7 being set in angular relation to form a V'-shape d trough, the rear ends of the plates 7 being secured to the bracket 4. The plates 7 do not meet at their converging sides but are spacedapart and Within this space or directly below the same is supported a screw shaft 8 extending the full length of the trough formed by the plates 7, said shaft being supported at one end within a bearing opening formed in the bracket 4: and at its opposite end within an opening in the plate 5.

I A plurality of loose rings which are indicated at R are placed within the trough formed by the plates 7, they being positioned transversely of the trough for engaging at their sides the two plates. A circular header 9 is provided, said header being of substantially the same diameter as therings to engage-the rearmost ring of the series and pivotally attached as at'lO, to this header 9 is a nut member 11 or half nut, to engage the up perside of the screw shaft 8 and operate when in en agement with this shaft when the shaft is eing turned,tovfeed the header toward the plate 5 or discharge end of the trough, and thus shove the ringsforwardly.

Arranged in parallel spaced relation to the front side of the plate 5, is a plate 12, the plate 12 being spaced from the plate 5 by means of studs 13, thus providing a' d ischargo space 14 opposite the opening 6 in the plate 5 so that when the rings are fed forwardly or toward the plate 12, they will drop one at a open lower end thereof. To insure the separation of the rings so that they will drop, one at a time, a foot plate 15 is secured at the forward end of the trough directly above the forward end of the shaft 8 and in an inclined position so that as the rings are shoved forwardly, they will come into engagement at their lower sides with this foot plate 15 and be lifted, dropping off from the upper 90 time into this space and pass out through the plate 5, and its'opposite end engaged withv in an opening in a spring arm 18 secured at one'end to the upper frame 3 and extending across toward the opposite side of the frame, said ro'd being formed with a head 19 to engage the arm 18 so that the rod will be detachablyheld by engaging its forward end in the socket 17 andthen springing the arm 18 and allowing the opposite end of the rod to snap into the opening in said arm with the head engaging the arm. A lurality of envelopes E with their flaps extended and formed with holes to receive the rod 16, are strung upon this red with a followerplate 20 hung on the rod loosely to slide down against the bunch of envelopes and force these 'env'elopes downwardly and close to other toward the lower end of the plate 5', with the pocket of each envelope at the forward side thereof and below the lower end of the discharge space 14 through which the rings drop one at a time. I

To open'up the pocket of each of the envelopes E as it comes to position to receive .a ring, an air pipe 21 is secured to the plate 12 and extends downwardly with its nozzle end 22 adjacent the open lower end of the discharge space 14 and directed downwardly toward'the forward envelope of the series and in amanner to direct air issuing from this pipe directly into the upper open end of the pocketof the forward envelope. This air stream issuing from the nozzle with considerable force will'immediately open up the pocket of the forward envelope of the series as-soon as this envelope comes into position below the lower end of the discharge opening 14,-and thus the ring dropping through the space 14 will drop directly Into the open.

pocket of the envelope and-as the rod 16 passes through a hole inthe flap of the envelope near its edge, the wei' ht of the falling ring as it bottoms within t a pocket of the envelope, will tear the envelope from this supporting rod. x

An intermediate frame 23- is securedupon the posts 2 midway between the base 1, and the top frame 3, and this intermediate frame forms a su port for an inclined deflector plate 24 which is positioned so that when a rin" drops into an envelope and the envelope is thereby torn loose-from its sup ort, this envelope with the rin therein wile age the plate 24 and be de ected forwardly into a hopper 25 having an open side toward the machine and an inclined bottom 26 upon which the envelopes with the rings therein will stack up after they are discharged. The be per 25 1s set loosely upon a bracket .27 sh able upon the two forward osts 2 and a spring actuated dog 28 is provi ed to engage a screw shaft 29 and hold the bracket 27 and hopper 25 in elevated position, the bracket and hopper being gradually lowered as the rings are discharged into the hopper and pile up therein, and to so gradually lower the hopper, the screw shaft 129 is arranged in a vertical position between the base 1 and frame 23, being mounted in bearings for rotation, so that upon rotation of this shaft with the dog 28 engaged with the spiral screw 30 formed on said shaft, will gradually lower the bracket 27 and hopper 25.

To provide power for rotating the shafts 8 and 29, an electric motor 31 is supported upon a shelf 32 below the intermediate frame 23, and motion is taken from this motor by belt or chain33 to a pulley or wheel 34 on a horizontal shaft 35 mounted in bearings upon the intermediate frame 23. Motion from the forward end of the shaft 35 is transmitted to the shaft 29 b beveled gears 36 and motion is transmitte from the rear end of the shaft 35 by means of a belt or chain 37 f om a alley or wheel 38 on the rear end of t e shaft to a similar pulley or wheel 39 on the rear end of the screw shaft 8. The

shafts 8 and 29 are therefore simultaneouslycharge of the envelopestherein and at the proper speed ,so that the pile of filled envelopes will always be below the lane of the deflector plate 24, such downwar movement of the be per being nicely regulated by the screw fee of the shaft 29.

When the hopperhas become full, it may be uickly removed and another put in its place,

t e bracket 27 bein readily. lifted into position to roperly ho d the em ty hopper, by simply iftmg up on the brac et the spring actuated dog 28 snappin over the turns of the screw of the shaft anddi in elevated position until it is again lowered by the turning of the shaft 29.

.Obviously changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the arts comprising the. machine as shown without departing from the spirit of the invention and therefore changes 1n suchconstruction and arrangement are contemplated.

Havin thus fully described my invention, what In aim is 1. In a machine of the character described.

the combination of a holder for a, series of oldingthe bracket piston rin articles, a vertical'guideway at the end of said holder, means for feeding said articles from said holder, one at a time, into said gu deway, and means at the lower end of said guideway for suspending a series of envelopes in-hanging position with the pocket of the end envelope of the series in position at the lower end of said guideway, to receive a discharged article.

2. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a holder for a series of piston rings, means for releasing said rings, one at a time, from said holder to drop therefrom in an edgewise position, a rod passing 'througha flap of a envelope for suspending said envelope with its pocket in position to receive a ring when released, and means for opening the pocket ofsaid envelope to receive said ring. 1

3. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a holder for aseries of means for releasing said rings from said iolder, one at a time, to drop edgewise by gravity, and a rod supported in a downwardly inclined position for suspending a series of envelopes by their flaps, said rod passing through said flaps adjacent their edges with said envelopes arranged to slide downwardly upon said rod below said holder with an end envelope of the series in position to receive in its pocket a released ring.

4. In a machine of the character described,

, the combination of a holder for holding piston rings in horizontal axial alignment, means for feeding said rings along said holder to drop vertically therefrom, one at a time, means for supporting a series of envelopes in a hanging position with an end envelope of the series positioned with its pocket in position to receive a ringdropping from the holder, and means for opening the pocket of said end envelope of the series, said envelope being released from its supporting means by the dropping of said ring into its pocket.

5. In a machine of the character described,

the combination of a trough of V-shape in cross section to hold piston rings in horizontal axial alignment, said trough being open at one end with a vertical guide leading from said end, means for moving said rings along said. trough to discharge the same, therefrom, one at a time, a rod support-ed beneath said trough to extend through openings in the flaps of a series of envelopes and hold said envelopes in suspendedposition with an end envelope of the series beneath the open lower end of said guide to receive therefrom, a ring within its pocket, and means for moving said envelopes along said rod to position beneath said guide. 7

6. In a machine of the character described,

the combination of a horizontally disposed holder forpistonrings placed side by side in axial alignment longitudinally of'saidholder,

means beneath said holder for supporting a series of envelopes with one envelope of the series in position to receive a ring discharged from said holder, a hopper to receive said envelopes with rings therein-as said envelopes are released from their support, means for moving said rings along said holder to discharge the same, one at a time, and means operating in timed relation to said means for moving said rings along said holder, for lowering said hopper.

7. In a machine-of the character described,. the combination ofa supporting frame, a horizontally disposed'trough of V-shape in cross section with a slot in the bottom thereof vand a discharge guide at one end, a screw the end ring of a series of rings placed in said trough in contact with each other with the axes of said series extending longitudinally of said trough, a half-nut connected to said. header and extending through said slot into engagement with said screw shaft, means for rotating said shaft, and meansfor supporting a series of envelopes with an end envelope of the series in position to receive a ring from said discharge guide. 8. In a machine of the character described. the combination of a holder for a plurality of piston rings, means for ejecting said rings, one ata time, from said holder, and a holder for a series of envelopes comprising a rod detachably held in a longitudinally inclined position and from which said envelopes are suspended by passing said rod through openings in the flaps of the. series of envelopes with the forward envelope of the series in position to receive a ring ejected from said holder, and a follower slidable upon said rod in contact with the rear envelope of said series, to urge said envelopes forwardly along said rod.

9. In a machine for the purpose dCSCl'lbld,

the combination of a holder for a plurality cally movable hopper into which said envelopes, with rings therein are discharged, and means for moving said hopper.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

' ERNEST R. HELLMAN. J 

